More Bunnings

[LineLefty]

No no no, if your reference point is Tibooburra, then Bourke is the far west, I mean east, **** I'm all confused :confused: :confused: :confused:

Sorry, my mind just associates inland with east now I'm back in Perth.

[silentC]

See? It's this 'sun setting over the ocean' bit that's confusing you. It's just not right, I tell you.

[Toggy]

Well, the big "B" have done it again.

A friend of SWMBO went into the Shepparton branch of Bunnies (which is an apt name for them) and decided to buy a large BBQ, an outdoor setting and a few small items. Value $1000 or so. Not a bad sale.
She gets to the counter to pay for them & asks if they could hold them until she & hubby get back with the ute (1.5hr round trip); as they won't fit in the Barina. Is told "we can't do that". She gets cranky & the staff make a phone call. End result is that, "We don't operate that way, we do not have any storage" SHe rightly cracks the s & go across the road.

Finds a better unit $30 cheaper. Tells the salesperson of the earlier altercation who replies that he will happily take her money and he has a huge storage area out the back. Take your time & I'll see you when you get back.

At least somebody knows about customer relations.

Ken

[Peter R]

I was in Bunnings the other day, waiting in the checkout queue.

There were at least 25 people waiting with only 2 checkouts working.

Looking around I can see about 12 Bunnings staff. Two at the door saying hello and goodbye, a most important and usefull function; two groups of three each, chatting amongst themselves; and several others practising their "I can't help you just now, I'm on my way to deal with someone more important" look.

I didn't leave the last bit out because it wasn't good, I just thought that it would save room, OK??

I had a fifty-yard dummy spit at bunnings today and went elsewhere. No one was put out other than me because bunnings Coffs Harbour is about $2.00 fuel away from home.

However, the reason for my angst was that I needed to have some timber cut to length and there was only one bloke in the entire store that had the key to the saw, and guess what? he was on his way to morning tea.
I tried to convince him that it wouldn't take long to cut the timber and that he could then have his cuppa - "No way! if I do that I will miss out on my regulation 15 minutes because I have to come back on time even if I go late".
Fair enough, I thought and said, but asked if anyone else could cut the timber "Na! I'm the only one with the key". With that he took off for the tea room.
I asked the section manager could he cut the timber " I could but Jack has got the key and he is at morning tea".
The dummy was pressing against my front teeth, but I tried to remain calm.
"Could you go and get the key from him?"
"Na! can't interfere with his tea break". Pwettttteeew.boing!~ boing! - splatt!

bunnings comes to towns (cities) like Coffs Harbour, sets up shop and tries to ruin all the othr DIY business in the area.
Now the other side of the coin: It is not the staff's fault. You will find, if you ask, that staff are assigned to certain areas and must not go outside those areas. some areas are busier than others so there is some standing around, although, for customer peace of mind the staff could make themselves busy instead of laughing and joking at the two girls on the checkout trying to calm the fidgetting throng.
If we all spoke to the managers about what we think is wrong we may get it fixed, but we don't, we just spit the dummy and carry on as usual.

Peter R.

[Peter R]

It puts me in mind of a situation that I found myself in a couple of years ago.

.

My dearly departed, ex-father in law, who was very Irish in his ways more than in his accent once went to the Coffs Harbour railway station to book a ticket to Sydney.

"How much for a return ticket", he asked.
"Where to, sir",
"Here, of course".

Peter R.

[grahame_a]

Bunnings are okay.

There 3 within 10 minutes drive. They open early, close late and are open on Sunday - which is darn sight more than I can say for a lot of other suppliers.

General comments

If you do not know what you want choose someone in the store who can help you. ie Ask for the resident expert.

If you want something that is not in the mainstream go to the specialists.

Concerned at the time in the line - try waiting at some timber suppliers, just take a packed lunch in case they are in 'slow mode'.

[dazzler]

Hi all

Remember not so long ago you could go down to your local hardware store and "bill" the owner would say gooday "jim hows it going" and you would have a little chat and he remembered that he sold you that makita drill that you bought and actually knows what goes where and how to do it and there was a young kid helping on a saturday or after school and he'd help carry the timber out to the car with you and if you just ducked down to get some bolts for the deck and didnt have your wallet and Bill would say drop the money off later............

well the hardware megasupadupa stores come to town and sell us stuff for cheaper so stuff bill we all shop at the megasupadupa and bill goes broke and stargloria coffee shop opens instead.

And now we can buy really cheap power tools like GMC.......are life is much better.....NOT

And we can only blame ourselves!!!!!!!!!!!!

cheers

daazzzzler

[Sturdee]

Hi all

Remember not so long ago you could go down to your local hardware store and "bill" the owner would say gooday "jim hows it going" and you would have a little chat and he remembered that he sold you that makita drill that you bought and actually knows what goes where and how to do it and there was a young kid helping on a saturday or after school and he'd help carry the timber out to the car with you and if you just ducked down to get some bolts for the deck and didnt have your wallet and Bill would say drop the money off later............

No, I am sorry but that was not what I was used to.

Before the hardware supermarkets came there were two hardware stores nearby, both were distinctly lacking in service, often had to wait whilst the shopkeeper kept yacking away to his mates whilst you were waiting.

Never had a large range of goods and an item urgently needed was often out of stock. There was often a lack of parking space on Saturday mornings and they closed at noon. :mad:

One of them increased their prices by 20 % on Saturday, because as he said one day when I queried him "It's Saturday morning it's too late to go elsewhere and I've got it and you probably need it to finish a job". He was amazed when I replied that it could wait untill next week and I didn't buy it.

When he was forced to close from the competition of the supermarket I went in the last day and told him that he is now reaping what he sowed all these years.

Long live the hardware supermarkets, you just have to remember that they are not always as knowledgeable as the specialised stores but their range and service is great and at least at ours they go out of their way to try and help you.


Peter.

[simon c]

I remember the same thing when real supermarkets came in and replaced the local greengrocer - it brought about the decline in local shops that supposedly gave better service and better quality food.

All I remember is my Mum bringing home fruit and the greengrocer had always managed to slip a rotten one into the bag when she wasn't looking.

I agree that it is a shame that we lost the well run local shop with helpful service but I think they were few and far between. Probably just as common as a helpful & knowledgable employee at Bunnings - ie they certainly aren't all like that but there are a few.

Simon

[Ivor]

I am not sure whether I should be excited or not but there is a Bunnings coming to my town in the not too distant future. My town has about 20,000 people and I am surprised that there would be enough of a market for them here. If they are open Sunday arvo I will be a happy man.

[DanP]

I can go into the local Mitre 10 and they all know me by name...but that might have more to do with me loitering there for hours on end

[Barry_White]

I am not sure whether I should be excited or not but there is a Bunnings coming to my town in the not too distant future. My town has about 20,000 people and I am surprised that there would be enough of a market for them here. If they are open Sunday arvo I will be a happy man.

Hi Ivor

I read your post with interest. Although I rarely go to Armidale because I do most of my business it Tamworth it will certainly give Armidale a shake up. Are they going to take over any of the other stores.

It will certainly give "The Other Big Hardware" a shake up because their prices are way over the top especially on power tools but I gather they will be up to the challenge.

The interesting thing is that Bunnings don't really care about the builders market, they only want the retail market and will take the builders only at their pricing and as long as they spend a set amount each month they will let them have an account.

[Kev Y.]

I can go into the local Mitre 10 and they all know me by name...but that might have more to do with me loitering there for hours on end

OF course they know your name Dan.. its on the badge over your right breast pocket!

Barry White.. Bunnings was good for my local hardware stores, with their 10% cheaper (at the time) offer, the local stores just dropped thier prices to match bunnies best offer. This was done without even asking.

Only once did I put bunnies Offer to the test, I was after some "weed mat" for the garden, and was after a specific width.. 1.2 m from memory. The bunnies "resident expert" told me it didn't come in that width. I responded with" the hardware shop around the corner has it at that width and this price."

Guess who went to the hardware store and got it at a price competive to bunnies

[RETIRED]

Quote:
Originally Posted by DanP
I can go into the local Mitre 10 and they all know me by name...but that might have more to do with me loitering there for hours on end



OF course they know your name Dan.. its on the badge over your right breast pocket!

Barry White.. Bunnings was good for my local hardware stores, with their 10% cheaper (at the time) offer, the local stores just dropped thier prices to match bunnies best offer. This was done without even asking.

Only once did I put bunnies Offer to the test, I was after some "weed mat" for the garden, and was after a specific width.. 1.2 m from memory. The bunnies "resident expert" told me it didn't come in that width. I responded with" the hardware shop around the corner has it at that width and this price."

Guess who went to the hardware store and got it at a price competive to bunnies

I think it has more to do with the colour of the pocket and the jaunty hat they wear.

[bitingmidge]

I have just bought two "bargains of the year" from Bunnings.....two Bunnings tee shirts at $4.95.

I bought XXXL because at that size I think I can get 35 polishing rags from each!!


P